How to celebrate Earth Day 2021 in Canberra

Held annually on 22 April, this year’s Earth Day is themed Restore Our Earth.

There is no better time to think about the little ways in which our actions impact the environment and to see if there are small changes that can be implemented to make a big difference overall.

Zoe Anderson, events and projects manager at the Canberra Environment Centre, says it’s great for Canberrans to participate in Earth Day events as it shows we are connected with the global community making sustainable changes in our daily lives.

Transport

According to Ms Anderson, “while we all know that Canberrans love our cars, there is also a range of sustainable transport options available for travel around the city”.

In particular, she says we have fantastic cycle paths and really great urban design that makes riding to work an easy option.

Consider walking, cycling or even taking an e-scooter to work or school or using these modes of transport as ‘last-mile’ trips that can link you from a parking spot or home to public transport options such as the light rail or buses.

Need to pick up a second-hand bike or do some repairs on your own? The Recylery might be just the spot for you.

An initiative of Canberra Environment Centre, it runs regular Cycle Jams where participants can come along and learn about how to maintain and perform repairs on their bikes. Check out their website for more information.

One of the e-scooter companies currently operating in Canberra, Neuron Mobility, is keen to remind Canberrans that they have been certified as a carbon-neutral way of travelling and are challenging users to take part in their #GreenRider Challenge in the lead-up to Earth Day.

You can jump on an e-scooter simply by downloading the Neuron (orange scooter) or Beam (purple scooter) apps.

Take Action

Why not get out in your local community and see what a difference can be made when people work together to pick up rubbish?

You can list these events on the official Earth Day site to get the whole community involved or keep them private.

You might also be familiar with local organisation ‘Trash Gather’. The group was founded by ACT Young Australian of the Year Madeline Diamond, and hosts regular events.

On Friday, a Climate Justice Now protest will be held at 12:00 pm, starting at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

No plastic, no worries

The Canberra Environment Centre will be running a workshop from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm teaching participants how to make beeswax wraps on Thursday evening. These are reusable and natural alternatives to using cling wrap in the kitchen.

Annette Boyd will guide participants through the workshop, from how to make the wraps all the way through to cleaning and maintaining them.

Eats

Speaking of the kitchen, Earth Day is also a great opportunity to think about where your food is coming from.

If you can, shop local to support local. While no markets are running on Thursday, there are plenty running over the weekend, from the Capital Region Farmers Market at EPIC on Saturday mornings to Southside Farmers Market in Phillip on Sundays. The most recent addition, The Haig Park Farmers Markets, will also be in full swing on Sunday morning.

Thinking about growing your own veggies in your back garden or joining a community garden in Canberra? The Canberra Organic Growers Society has plenty of tips and tricks to help you get started. What about setting up a compost bin or worm farm while you’re out there?

Want to eat sustainably but don’t really feel like cooking? Luckily there are plenty of cafes and restaurants around Canberra that source sustainable produce and/or have seasonal menus.

Top picks include The Cupping Room, Highroad, Bar Rochford and vegan cafe Sweet Bones.

If you want to get involved with a global program of events, all of which are being live-streamed this year, check out the Earth Day website for more information.

Original Article published by Lottie Twyford on The RiotACT.